Artificial tooth.



W. L. SII/IITH.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH APPLICATION FILED NOV-15.1916.

1 ,238, 2 1 ll? Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

ESSES INVENTOR- WESLEY LINFDRID SMITH, 0E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Paton Application filed November 15, 1916. Serial No. 131,402.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVnsLnY LINFORD SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, (in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Teeth; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. I

My invention pertains to artificial teeth, and relates especially to the means for anchoring in place, in the body of the tooth, the securing pins which are ordinarily employed in connection with such teeth.

It is an object of the present invention to curing pin of an artificial tooth, which will retain such pin securely in position against all the ordinary strains to which the tooth may be subjected. It is another object of the invention .to provide an anchoring means for the securing pin, which will be easy to place in position, and the use of which will facilitate the manufacture of the tooth and attached securing pin. Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification, taken in connection with the appended claims.

By way of example, I have described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, an artificial tooth constructed in accordance with my invention. I wish it understood, however, that changes may be made in the construction described and shown, without exceeding the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. a y

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a transverse section through a mold which is employed in connection with the embodiment of my invention herein to be described;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the mold peg, and the conical anchor carried thereby, the anchor being shown separate from the peg, for purposes of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through an artificial tooth, showing the same in con dition which it assumes after the first fusing operation, and before the securing pin.-

' has been fixed therein; and I Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectooth.

provide an anchoring means for the sefrom the composition.

each of the pegs 12 is made conical, as at 14, and is adapted to have mounted there- I on a similarly shaped cap 15, formed of platinum or other refractory metal.

With the conical platinum cap 15, in place upon each of the pegs 12, the cavity of the mold member 11 is filled with the plastic composition of which the body of the tooth is composed.v The cavity of the mold member 10 is likewise packed with composition. The mold members are then superposed one upon the other, and are placed in a moderately heated press, wherein they are subjected to pressure. The effect of the pressure and heat to which. the composition is subjected in this press is to compact the composition into a homogeneous mass, and to dry out the moisture This is generally known as thebiscuiting operation. After the biscuiting operation has been. completed, the mold is withdrawnfrom the press, and the tooth is withdrawn from the mold. In taking the tooth away from the mold, the pegs 12 retain their connection with the mold member ll, thuslea-ving holes 16 in the tooth, at the bottoms of which. holes the conical anchor members 15 are embedded inthe composition;

After being 'removed from the mold, the

tooth is heated to a high degree of temperature, to efiect the fusing operation. After this fusing operation has, been completed,

the tooth will be in'condition shown in Fig.

. 3, with the conical anchor member 15 firmly embedded at the bottom of each hole 16. A

small quantity of solder is then dropped into each of the holes 16, so as to fall into the interior of the'cap 15. Securing pins 1'2 are then placed in the holes 16. These securing pins have, conical. ends 18, corresponding in shape with the internal shape of the conical anchors 15 With the pins 17 in place, the tooth is now sub ected to a temperature suliicient to melt the solder; and. when this temperature is reached. the pins are forced down so that their ends 1s engage lirml v with the interior of the conical anchors 15. In this way. a secure soldered joint is made between the pins IT and the anchors 15; and the pins 17 are thus rigidly connected with the body of the tooth.

In methods which have heretofore been proposed for molding an anchor into the body of the tooth. a great deal of dillicultv has been met with in holding the anchor. during the molding operation. in an immovble position with respect to the pet. or the lllit. which was intended to support it. lhis dillicultv has been wholly overcome by the. device described above. since the engagement of the conical anchor 15 with the corre- H])()1l1llII "l \'-Sll:l[)Wl conical end it of the peg l2 etl'ectivelv prevents any relative movement between the anchor and the peg during the molding operation. Another dillicnlty has arisen, in connection with anchor devices of this general type. due to the small surface. presented by the anchor for soldering to the end of the securing pin. 'lhis diiliculty, likewise. has been overcome by the device described above, since the conical end 18 of the securing pin cooperating with the conical interior surface of the anchor 15 produces a considerably enlarged solder-receiving surface. to which the solder can readily llow upon the soldering operation being performed. The device provides an extremely effective means for rigidly lining the securing pins to the tooth; and its use facilitates manufacture considerabl and minimizes the necessity of particular skill on the part of the operator.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new. and desire to secm'e by Letters Patent is:

1. An artificial tooth comprising a body member having a hole therein, and a hollow conical anchor member embedded in said body member and contained in said hole. the concave side of said anchor member being directed toward the opening of said hole.

2. An artificial tooth comprising a body member having a cavity therein, an anchor member embedded in said body member and contained in said cavity, said anchor memher having a concave portion directed toward the opening of said cavity, and a securing pin disposed in said cavity and having an end of correspoiuling shape to the concave portion of said anchor member, the end of said pin being soldered to the concave portion of said anchor member.

3. The combination with a mold member having a cavity suitably shaped for forming the back of an artil'icial tooth. and a peg projecting into said cavity and having a conical end, with a bottom conical anchor member adapted to be placed upon the end of said peg", and thereby be maintained in position during the molding operation.

In testimony whereof. I the said \Vnstny laxroan bsirrit have hereunto set my hand.

\VESLE Y Ll N F( )R D SMI Tl l.

Witnesses:

A. B. ANGNEY. J. N. Comm. 

